Carrot Cake

Recipe by: Lora Brody | from The Kitchen Survival Guide

Cookstr

Course: Dessert

Total Time: Under 2 Hours

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Next to Mud Pie, this is our family’s all-time favorite dessert—especially the frosting.

I frost the cake right in the pan and then cut it into squares for serving. If you want to present a whole cake, then turn it out onto a cookie sheet or board, place a flat serving plate on top, and invert the cake. Then frost.

Yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour, measured after sifting
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1¼ cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots (approximately 3 very large carrots)
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts; chopped
½ cup raisins
Cream cheese frosting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. with the rack in the center position. Lightly grease a 12 × 9- or 13 × 9-inch baking pan.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda salt, and cinnamon into a very large mixing bowl or pot. Stir to blend well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, if necessary. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and dry Cool completely in the pan before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very smooth. Place the sugar in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over the cream cheese/butter mixture. Beat by hand or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.